The new carriages are part of the wider Railway Upgrade Plan which will see rail companies delivering over £50bn of improvements over the next five years. It is estimated that the new trains will increase the total number of carriages on Britain’s railway from 12,968 to 14,966 in just three years alone.

A traffic-light reservation system that makes seat availability clearer

Power sockets for every seat

More overhead luggage space

Greater comfort and better leg-room

Seat power points and USB ports for powering laptops and smart devices

Rail passenger numbers have doubled over the last 20 years. The resulting increase in revenue, combined with the more efficient running of the railway, means the network now virtually covers its day to day costs, helping to sustain investment in improvements.

Paul Plummer, RDG chief executive, said:

“The trains that Britain’s rail companies are already introducing will represent a step-change in our passengers’ experiences. Each train will be better connected, more comfortable and far more advanced in the technology it uses as part of our plan to build a better railway.

“People either love or hate the more iconic trains from the 1970s and 1980s. But fare-payers want a travelling environment that meets the demands of the 21st century, and so many of our older trains are being gracefully retired. The new generation of rolling stock that we’re introducing embraces technology to ensure passenger journeys are as reliable as possible and truly connected like never before.”